Those look like Ecklers' ZL-1 Flares. The "mudflaps".
the original GM L-88 flares did not have those.

[IMG]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/TimAT_vette/DSC00028.jpg[/IMG]

The fan runs all the time? That's correct- the safety police made the car companies run the fan all the time so that bad old carbon monoxide can't get in.

IF it's blowing heat all the time, the water shut-off to the heater is stuck. Follow the heater hoses and there should be a valve in one of the lines. Vacuum operated so it's either stuck, or has a vacuum problem. No valve, you can get a manual valve from your local auto parts store.

did you find the problem? Just Curious

Cut O-ring on the pickup tube. Lets the pump drain back and it whines until it picks up fluid again. Common THM 400 thing.

Check the ground cable from the right motor mount bracket on the frame to the block. There should be star washers between the cable and the frame and the block. Also check the ground from the battery to the frame.

Turn the headlights on when it's hot and you crank it. See what they do. Dim a lot? Stay about the same? If they really dim, it could be a starter problem. If not, then very likely a ground.

FWIW: I've got a BB in the 69- headers, 12.5 compression, lots of timing and never any problems. No heat shield on the starter.

I'd bet on a poor ground. Without the headlights, the resistance seen by the turn signals is enough to get the flasher to work. With headlights on, they also use some of the capacity of that ground connection.

I know it sounds odd, but it is a possible cause- especially after two different flashers. Think of all the weird oddball stuff that happens when a ground gets bad on a Vette.

IMHO, Dubya has the Republicans so hosed up the people wouldn't elect the Pope if he was running. SO we're literally stuck with Hillary or Obama. The Hispanics think they're gonna' ride the black coattails- IF Obama gets elected he'll drop them like a hot horseshoe.

It's a real shame that now we have to elect by not picking the person that will do the best job, but by picking the person that's going to hurt you the least.

The C3 forums all seem to not have much of anything C3 in them. There was starting to be a pretty good list, but it's all missing since the changeover. Did I miss something?

2-4 servo on the side just above the pan. Kind of a double step cover about 3" in diameter. They very rarely are any problem. Shifter shaft seal- they do leak- easy fix. And the vent- it's on top of the tranny and will blow juice if the trans gets too hot or builds too much pressure.

Pappy, maybe try one of these--

This would be my sled when the weather is co-operating. Like above 40*

If I came across a C4 with a blown engine for 2200 bux, I'd be grinnin' like a possum eatin' peaches. I've got sweet little 450hp 350 that needs a new home. I built it years ago- had it in a Camaro and used to kick the crap out of BB Chevelles and 455 Trans-Ams. Camaro rusted away, still got the engine.

Should work, IF you really like spinning safety wire. The only real problem I see is that if you get the wire real tight, it's going to wear thru your headers. Too loose, and it won't work. I've seen safety wire cut thru the head of an aircraft grade Inconel bolt. And Inconel is some really tough stuff.

After I r & r headers. I always go back after every start and stop and tighten the bolts a little. I do that for about a week, then a couple times a week, then whenever I think of it. Not had a header gasket problem in a long time.

There are several options for header bolts- there's a split-lock thing- the bolt is split and has a wedge built into it,- studs and nuts, - bolts that have a groove in the head with an "ear" that goes on with a snap ring, and I'm sure there are a couple others too..

I'm jealous of all the room around your engine. My C3, I can't see a couple of the spark plugs, much less try and change them,,

A good dry sump system would take the load off the distributor and cam,

I've got a 1/2 hi-torque air drill I use to prime with- You better have a firm grip when it starts pumping...

Personally I like the looks of the solid T/A's better. The lightweight ones look a little, uuhhhmmm, flimsy.

VB&P has them too. I think Bair's as well.

Looks like you C4 guys had one there too. the C3 guy made everyone nutz. His posts with incorrect/wrong/bad/dangerous info. And if you called him on it, he went running to the mods crying- and you got band camp..

The T is fun to drive. The first lesson on driving a T is :

Forget everything you thought you knew about steering a car. It no longer applies.

Second: You need both feet and both hands. All will be busy.

:thumbleft:

The mods here are really special!! One guy yips and they have the problem fixed within 30 MINUTES. Now THAT is GOOD!












Sorry guys, I just couldn't resist...

Except with him it's more like the $6.00 man..

:me2:

At least a sheet of things to look for. C3's have a unique set of problems to watch for- I'm sure other generations do to. Maybe help keep someone from making a $10,000 mistake.

I've always used 1/4 turn. I set them running too. Back off until they rattle, tighten until they just quit making noise, then 1/4 turn. I've turned hydraulic lifter engines to 7k setting them this way with no problems.

The idea is to get the pluner inside the lifter just barely above centered. Too low and they will "pump-up" they can't bleed down fast enough. too high and they bleed too fast and collapse.

Setting them running is a bit messy, but the guesswork goes right in the drain too.

kwplot forgot to put the part number in his post I found it
Fel-Pro BS 11829-1.


Deputy- things are good. I'm in Atlanta right now, heading for Tulsa tomorrow, Sunday to Las Vegas for the next week, then home, turning right around for the Bird thing in SoCal. I'm going to pickup I-40 around Tucumcari and buzz out that way. I'll have the Vette in the trailer so it won't be a real fast trip.

dude, you flunked typing 101. No part number in your post! :sign6:

Hey Deputy! How are things in NM??

You have to do what makes YOU most comfortable. I don't get anywhare near 50MPG on the bike, (I won't even talk about the MPG the Vette gets)but it's worth it to me. Then consider the weather.

The Bike:

Sorry, I thought you'd done the whole thing-- My Bad!

For just the top end-- it starts, it runs, it has no leaks, it's GOOD. Relax- have a beer.

Quote:

I'd personally say that 500-1000 miles with no runs-drips-errors it's good to go...

FWIW, jake266 has the idea. when you load an new engine (and I don't mean killer load) the forces on the pistons/rings help clean the oil from the cylinder walls. Then when you back it down under load, it washes oil back onto the cylinders. Sort of a wet-dry-wet-dry effect. Helps the rings seat.

Watch the temp and oil gauges, look for leaks and enjoy.

The GM steel shim gaskets AND the Fel-Pro blue head gaskets do not need to be retorqued. Doing so will invite problems.

Like everyone, I've got something other than the Vette to drive. If the weather is good I'll ride my Geezer 'Glide



If the weather is bad, I drive this little guy:



And if things are just right and I want to be different:



Sorry I didn't realize that thing needed a BATH that bad..

That right hand drive is just way cool in a Vette. I was in Ireland a while back- one of my co-workers and I were going to work- he had the keys and we walked to the car talking as usual- he went to the left, I went to the right just aas we do in the US. We both got in, he looked at me and said, "I guess you're driving"..

There are a lot of guys that do their own repairs- Electrical, Mechanical, the whole show. If you do them anything like I do, you want he repairs to be neat and permanent. If your car has HEI ignition you need to know this one. If you're repairing any wiring and use a Weller type soldering gun, the magnetic field the gun has around it when it's on WILL repeat WILL cause your HEI to fire if the ignition is on. I shot this video as a demo. The HEI is simply stuck in a bench vise, and has 12 volts from a battery charger hooked to it. That's all. Imagine yourself leaning over the fender, key is on, fixing a broken wire. You reach over, grab that trusty old soldering gun, pull the trigger and][/URL]

If the rotor is lined up with a cylinder that's ready to fire (and it usually is) it can and has caused the engine to start.

Thanks guys--

That is a Kwik-Lift. Best $$ I've spent in a long time. I got the air jack, casters for the lift, chocks and the short ramps, along with an extra center bridge, then picked up a couple of short jackstands and a light weight floor jack at Harbor Freight. I can get all 4 wheels off (Carefully) while it's on the lift.

I had an old window fan I put in a window- when I run the engine or do anything that "might" make a smell, I open a door a little bit and run the fan.

It get a bit cool when it's below 15* outside, but still bearable..

My place- 2 car garage in the basement, runs the length of the house on one side (50') and has the laundry and stairs on the other. Air compressor sets under the stairs. The long side (away from the doors) is occupied by a 1924 Ford Model T Coupe, with the Harley right behind that.

I've always wanted a garage with a small attached house.

That is awesome.

I just sort of arrived here. I don't have a C4, I've got a C3. '69 Roadster. Im the third owner, I've known the car since 1971 when the second owner (next door neighbor) bought it. Original engine was a 427/435 L-89. Aluminum heads and Tri-Power. That engine died in '72 and was replaced with a crate L-88 at the dealer. (we were both working there at the time as mechanics . that L-88 broke the cam between the 2nd and 3rd bearings in 1974. (I've still got the iron heads that came on that crate motor, BTW, all the valves were dead, but the heads and intake was all that was left. Anyway, in 1978 the PO bought a LS-7 crate engine- that's in the car now. Enough 'bout the car.

Me, after 20 some years wrenching in various GM dealers doing engines, trannys, axles, and lots of whatever, I went to commercial aircraft. Now after 20 years of that, I made it to Inspection. No more toolbox, just a mirror and a flashlight. :toothy8: So now I work 14 days on anywhere in the world, and get 7 days off. they put me on a plane, send me where they want me, and then fly me back home for the days off. when I'm home, it's play with the girlfriend, the grandkids, the Vette, and the Harley.

I get bashed on a fairly regular basis by the NCRS "correct" crowd. I've got the factory L-88 flares on my '69- right over the GM parts counter in '71- and none of them will accept that. I've still got the Chevy HP parts book that lists them, along with a bunch of part numbers for the parts from GM back in those days.

You got it. That's the birdcage. Another place to look is right behind the doors where the frame turns up to go over the rear wheels, known as the "kickup". Brut has already mentioned this. Stand back and look at how the car sets. Does it just look straight and square? Or does it strike you as setting a little off?

My '69. Work in progress. There have been a few changes since this picture. New wheels and tires, new headers. A new picture is not too compatible with the snow and ice that's on the ground right now. i'll update when the world thaws out..

I guess I'll start this one off. Chevy has had lots of problems with rear mains leaking since day one. I did many years working as a heavy line tech in several dealers. from axles to tranmissions to engines, with an occasional "fix those lights/gauges/windows/whatever" thrown in. Anyway, here's a good fix for the 2 piece rear main seals on small blocks and big blocks. There are a couple different seals for the SB as I describe in the following. Not sure about the BB's 100%..

Once you have the pan down, remove the oil pump and pickup. Remove the rear main cap. The lower half of the seal is right there. Don't scratch the bearing. Take a small screwdriver and pop the lower half out of the cap, then use the screwdriver, (I have one that I did a little bit of grinding on so it's got a better flat end) and push on the exposed end of the upper half of the seal. You may hve to tap it a little bit to break the upper seal loose. Drive it out until you can get a good grip on it and then just walk it on out. Now the old seal is out, clean the block and the seal groove with something like brake cleaner, just hose it out really well.

The trick part is next. GM and the aftermarket have 3 different widths of rear seals. The difference in them is from the dust lip on the back to the wiper lip on the forward side of the seal. The best (and widest one) is the one you need to find. The biggest distance between the two lips. You may have to hunt for it. GM had them all under the same part number, but there are different ones.


Take the rear main cap to your bench grinder and use the wire wheel on the mating surfaces adjacent to the seal. Don't get so far forward to catch the bearing. Buff the cap, get it really clean. Then hose it down with the brake cleaner too. Let it dry while you install the upper half of the seal.

In the package there is a little plastic "spoon". Use it to install BOTH the upper and lower halves. Put a little bit of grease on the lips of the upper seal. If you don't, the rib on the inside of the seal gets sliced off and will seep underneath the seal.

Once you have the lower seal in place, wipe a little bit of grease on the lips of that seal too. Apply a very thin coat of form-a-gasket or an anerobic sealer or something like that on the cap next to the seal. Just above the pan gasket groove. Install the cap, torque to specs and install the oil pump, and pan.

I've done literally hundreds of rear main seals over 15+ years of working for Chevy dealers and NEVER had to do the same one twice.

I hope this helps and I also hope I didn't confuse the issue for you. If you have any questions, just drop me a note..